Pocket size manual adding machine

ABSTRACT

A small pocket size, manually actuatable adding machine. The machine is circular, of a size to be held in the hand. It is operated by a dial or rotor having ten equally spaced finger holes. It comprises counter wheels overlying each other and stators between the counter wheels. The manual rotor or dial carries a radially movable catch member which can be positioned to engage the periphery of individual counter wheels whereby the rotor can cause any individual wheel to be rotated any predetermined part of a revolution corresponding to a digit to be entered. A unique transfer means comprising stator members between adjacent wheels and a pawl carried by each rotor is provided whereby upon a full revolution of an individual wheel, a step movement is imparted to an adjacent wheel.

United States Patent 11 1 Hanson Feb. 12, 1974 [76] Inventor: Goodwin F.Hanson, 11520 S.

Prairie, Hawthorne, Calif. 90250 [22] Filed: Jan. 2, 1973 [21] Appl.No.: 320,098

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 780,853 1/1905 Anderson235/78 A 1,243,224 10/1917 Rodolf 235/78 A 521,682 6/1894 Studabaker235/116 3,220,645 11/1965 Walsh 235/80 2,462,338 2/1949 Sieradzki 235/78A Primary ExaminerLawrence R. Franklin Attorney, Agent, or Firml-lerzig& Walsh 57] ABSTRACT A small pocket size, manually actuatable addingmachine. The machine iscircular, of a size to be held in the hand. It isoperated by a dial or rotor having ten equally spaced finger holes. Itcomprises counter wheels overlying each other and stators between thecounter wheels. The manual rotor or dial carries a radially movablecatch member which can be positioned to engage the periphery ofindividual counter wheels whereby the rotor can cause any individualwheel to be rotated any predetermined part of a revolution correspondingto a digit to be entered. A unique transfer means comprising statormembers between adjacent wheels and a pawl carried by each rotor isprovided whereby upon a full revolution of an individual wheel, a stepmovement is imparted to an adjacent wheel.

14 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION DESCRIPTION OF THEPREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawings of the exemplary embodiment shown,

The invention is a pocket sized hand operated calcuit comprises a cupshaped housing 10, preferably made ten equally spaced finger holes. Thisdial may be of apl proximately the size of a telephone dial. However, inthe preferred form of the invention, the dial is even smaller. Aplurality of rollers and stators are mounted about a commonshaft in acup shaped housing with the dial at the top of it. The machine isoperated by dialing the dial clockwise for adding and counterclockwisefor subtracting. Numbers from zero to nine are provided in the housingand are readable through the holes in the dial for adding andsubtracting. The rotors are cup shaped, having peripheral parts lying ina common plane. These parts are marked with numbers from zero to nine.

The stators are scalloped, each having one extending projection ortooth. Each rotor carries a resilient pawl which rides on the peripheryof an adjacent stator to provide detenting and to provide the transfermeans whereby a revolution of a rotor causes a step movement ofone-tenth revolution of an adjacent rotor. A flexible pawl is movedoutwardly by the tooth on the stator so as to engage and pick up a pinon the next rotor to accomplish. the transfer.

The dial is operable to rotate any one of the rotors, this beingaccomplished by way of a radially movable slider having a pawl or catchmember which can engage the periphery of any one of the rotors forrotating.

The primary object of the invention is to make available a very small,inexpensive pocket size, hand operable calculator for adding andsubtracting.

A corollary object is to make it possible to fabricate such a calculatorfrom inexpensive materials and with easily made parts which are positivein operation and accurate in performing addition and subtraction.

A further object is to provide a calculator of this type embodyingrotors and stators mounted about the same center with pawl means carriedby each rotor and an inner part thereof cooperable with the stator,whereby transfer is effected, that is, whenever a rotor completes a fullrevolution, an adjacent rotor is caused to move through one step orone-tenth of a revolution.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further objects and additionaladvantages of the invention will become apparent from the followingdetailed description and annexed drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred form of the calculator;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the calculator of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a partial view similar to FIG. 5, illustrating the action ofthe transfer means.

of plastic. It may have knobs or buttons at the bottom forming feetdesignated at 12 and 14. The housing may be about 3 inches in diameter.At the top, it has a peripheral rim 16 of slightly larger diameter andof a 0 depth of a fraction of an inch.

The operating dial is designated at 20. It is in the form of arelatively thin plastic disc having ten equally spaced finger holes asdesignated at 22 of a size to readily be engagable by a persons finger.The dial fits into the recess at the top of the housing provided byperipheral part 16 of larger diameter.

In the device as shown, there is an integral center post 24 upstandingfrom the bottom of the housing. This post has one flat side asdesignated at 26. Ithas an enlargement or head 30 at the top end.Numeral 32 designates the hub of a member having a disc 34, the edges ofwhich rideon a circular rib 36 of dial 20. Housing 10 has an inwardlyextending part 40, the sides of which are curved, which can be seen inFIG. 2 to form finger stops when dialing either clockwise orcounterclockwise.

The device has a plurality of rotors, as shown, and a plurality ofstators. The stators are mounted on the center shaft or post 24. Eachstator has a center opening with one flat side which engages flat side26 of post 24 so that the stators cannot rotate. The device as shown hasfour stators and four rotors. The bottom rotor is designated at 46. Ithas a flat bottom 48 and a circular or cylindrical upstanding part 50,the top edge of which has equally spaced, slightly raised, angularformations as designated at 54, with spaces between these formations, asdesignated at 56 (see FIG. 4). Each of these formations bears a digitfrom zero to nine, as may be seen in FIG. 4. The rotor has a center partwith a round hole which journals on a stator as will be described. Thiscenter part is joined to the peripheral part by three radial legs orspokes as designated at 60, 62, and 64, as may be seen in FIG. 5. Thus,there are three openings in the bottom 48 of rotor 46, one of which isdesignated at 66 in FIG. 5. In this opening, there is an extendingflexible arm 68 lying in the plane of the bottom of the rotor, andcarried at the end of this arm is a pawl member 70 of the shape as shownin FIG. 5. It is symmetrical, having inner sides as designated at 72 and74, which will be referred to again presently.

The bottom stator is designated at 80. Its center hole is designated at82, having one flat side, as previously described, fitting against theflat side of stem 24 to prevent it from rotating. Its upper part is inthe form of a flange 84 of larger diameter. Its bottom part is ofsmaller diameter as designated at 86. Its intermediate part asdesignated at is of intermediate diameter, having scalloped edges, thatis, having ten equally spaced rises with depressions between the risesfor purposes of providing detent action, as will be described. Theintermediate part 90 has one extending projection or tooth as designatedat 92, whereby the transfer between the rotors is effected, as will bedescribed. Four rotors are shown, the outer one 46 representing units;the next one tens; the next one hundreds; and the next one thousands.More rotors may be provided. The bottom rotor 46 as pointed out isjournalled on part 86 of stator 80 of smaller diameter.

The second stator upwardly is designated at 88; since it is identicalwith stator 80, it need not be described in detail. The second rotorupwardly is designated at 100 and it is like rotor 46, except that atits underside, there are ten equally spaced pins or projections, one ofwhich is designated at 102 in FIG. 5. All of the stators are alike. Thehundreds and thousands rotors are like the tens rotor, except that theyare smaller in diameter, as shown. Their circular peripheral sides havetop edges lying in a plane as shown. Referring to FIGS. and 6, rotor 46rotates pawl 70 which rides along the scalloped edges of part 90 ofstator 80 to provide detenting such that there are ten equally spacedpositive positions of the rotor so that it does not stop in betweenthese positions. When pawl 70 rides over tooth 92, its stem 68 which isflexible is moved outwardly or radially as may be seen in FIG. 6 so thatit is moved into position to engage one of the projections 102 so thatwhen rotor 46 completes one revolution, a step of one-tenth ofrevolution is imparted to the next rotor, that is, rotor 100. Transferor carryover between all rotors is the same.

Means are provided so that dial 20 can engage any one of the four rotorsto rotate it. This means is shown as the radially movable slide member110. It is in the shape of an elongated oval having an elongated ovalopening 112 in it. There are two side members 114 and 116 which engagesides of center post 24. Upstanding from member 110 at one end isaprojection or pin member 120 which extends through a radial slot I22 indial 20, as may be seen in FIG. 1. Projecting member 120 has a part 124extending downwardly from dial 20 so that it can engage the top of theperipheral edge of any one of the four rotors. This member can engagebetweenthe raised portions of the top edges of the rotors, such asportion 54 of rotor 46. Slide member 110 can be slid radially by meansof projection 120.

From the foregoing, those skilled in the art will readily understand theoperation of the device. The answer when adding or substracting can beread along the zero line of the rotors as seen in FIG. 2. Large numbersfrom zero through nine are provided on the inner surface of the bottomof housing as may be seen in FIG. 2. Adjacent these numbers are smallerdigits or numerals from zero to nine for subtracting when dialing in theopposite direction.

Digits in the units, tens, hundreds, and thousands order can beindividually selectively entered into the machine. For entering a digitfrom zero to nine in the units order, slider 110 is positioned to beengageablewith the largest rotor 46. The digit is then entered bydialing disc 20. The entered digit on the periphery of rotor 46 willthen appear along the line on which the answer is read, being zero onthe line shown in FIG. 2. Any digit can similarly be entered (to beadded or subtracted) by positioning slider 110 correspondingly anddialing a digit whereby to rotate that particular rotor. After alldigits are entered, the answer is read along the zero line, as indicatedin FIG. 2. Subtraction is done similarly, except that the dialing isdone in the reverse direction, that is, counterclockwise using thesmaller numbers on the inside of the base of the housing which arevisible through openings 20.

From the foregoing, those skilled in the art will readily understand thenature and constructionof the device and the manner in which it achievesand realizes has an extending projection over which said movable elementrides whereby to be moved radially into a posiall of the objectives asset forth in the foregoing. The device is extremely simplified and canbe assembled from a minimum number of positive acting parts, which arevery easily and readily fabricated, to the end. that the device is veryeasy to assemble and can be produced inexpensively. The transfer meansis of a type which is positive in action and long lasting to the endthat the device will add and subtract correctly. In addition to thecharacteristic of its being simplified, inexpensive, and easy tofabricate, its small size makes it possible for it to be carried in thepocket, handbag, or otherwise.

The foregoing disclosure is representative of a preferred form of theinvention and is to be interpreted in an illustrative rather than alimiting sense, the invention to be accorded the full scope of theclaims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

l. A calculating device comprising: an assembly of a plurality ofcounterwheels rotatable about a common axis, said wheels being ofprogressively varying diameter, said wheels being in a positionoverlying each other; transfer means between the wheels whereby apredetermined revolution of a wheel imparts a step movement to anadjacent wheel; means for manually feeding numerical inputs selectivelyto individual wheels comprising a member selectively engageable with theperiphery of any one of the wheels; and means for rotating said memberabout the axis of said wheels to impart predetermined angular rotationto the selected wheel. Y

2. A device as in claim 1, wherein said member is mounted to be movableradially with respect to the wheels for selective engagement of theindividual wheel.

3. A device as in claim 2, wherein said member includes a projectionengageable with the peripheral part of individual wheels.

4. A device as in claim 1, including a dial constructed to be manuallyrotated through selected increments, said member being carried by saiddial.

5. A device as in claim 4, wherein said dial comprises a circular memberhaving equally spaced configurations formed in it adapted to be manuallyengaged for moving the dial through increments of a revolution.

6. A device as in claim 5, wherein said dial is mounted to rotate aboutthe axis of said wheels.

7. A device as in claim 1, including a housing having said wheelstherewithin, said last means comprising a dial being mounted in the topof said housing.

8. A device as in claim 1, including stator members positioned betweenadjacent wheels, each transfer means comprising an element carried by awheel in a position to be engageable with a part of an adjacent stator,each wheel having extending projections and said element being movablewhereby to engage a projection on an adjacent wheel to move the adjacentwheel through one step.

9. A device as in claim 8, wherein said stator member tion to engage aprojection on an adjacent wheel to advance it one step.

10. A device as in claim 1, wherein said wheels are configurated to haveperipheral parts lying in a common plane, said member being positionedto be movable radially adjacent to peripheral parts of the wheels whichlie in a common plane.

11. A device as in claim 3, wherein the individual wheels are cupshaped, said peripheral parts lying in a common plane.

12. A calculating device comprising: an assembly of a plurality ofcounterwheels rotatable about a common axis; transfer means between thewheels whereby a predetermined complete revolution of a wheel imparts astep movement to an adjacent wheel; and stator means adjacent to thewheels, each transfer means comprising a movable element carried by awheel in a position to be engageable with a part of the stator means,each wheel having extending projections and each said eleadjacentwheels.

1. A calculating device comprising: an assembly of a plurality ofcounterwheels rotatable about a common axis, said wheels being ofprogressively varying diameter, said wheels being in a positionoverlying each other; transfer means between the wheels whereby apredetermined revolution of a wheel imparts a step movement to anadjacent wheel; means for manually feeding numerical inputs selectivelyto individual wheels comprising a member selectively engageable with theperiphery of any one of the wheels; and means for rotating said memberabout the axis of said wheels to impart predetermined angular rotationto the selected wheel.
 2. A device as in claim 1, wherein said member ismounted to be movable radially with respect to the wheels for selectiveengagement of the individual wheel.
 3. A device as in claim 2, whereinsaid member includes a projection engageable with the peripheral part ofindividual wheels.
 4. A device as in claim 1, including a dialconstructed to be manually rotated through selected increments, saidmember being carried by said dial.
 5. A device as in claim 4, whereinsaid dial comprises a circular member having equally spacedconfigurations formed in it adapted to be manually engaged for movingthe dial through increments of a revolution.
 6. A device as in claim 5,wherein said dial is mounted to rotate about the axis of said wheels. 7.A device as in claim 1, including a housing having said wheelstherewithin, said last means comprising a dial being mounted in the topof said housing.
 8. A device as in claim 1, including stator memberspositioned between adjacent wheels, each transfer means comprising anelement carried by a wheel in a position to be engageable with a part ofan adjacent stator, each wheel having extending projections and saidelement being movable whereby to engage a projection on an adjacentwheel to move the adjacent wheel through one step.
 9. A device as inclaim 8, wherein said stator member has an extending projection overwhich said movable element rides whereby to be moved radially into aposition to engage a projection on an adjacent wheel to advance it onestep.
 10. A device as in claim 1, wherein said wheels are configuratedto have peripheral parts lying in a common plane, said member beingpositioned to be movable radially adjacent to peripheral parts of thewheels which lie in a common plane.
 11. A device as in claim 3, whereinthe individual wheels are cup shaped, said peripheral parts lying in acommon plane.
 12. A calculating device comprising: an assembly of aplurality of counterwheels rotatable about a common axis; transfer meansbetween the wheels whereby a predetermined complete revolution of awheel imparts a step movement to an adjacent wheel; and stator meansadjacent to the wheels, each transfer means comprising a movable elementcarried by a wheel in a position to be engageable with a part of thestator means, each wheel having extending projections and each saidelement being movable whereby to engage a projection on an adjacentwheel to move the adjacent wheel through one step, said stator meanshaving projections positioned to be engaged by a movable element to movethe element radially into a position to engage a projection on anadjacent wheel.
 13. A device as in claim 12, wherein said elementembodies a flexible arm whereby the end of the arm can flex radially.14. A device as in claim 12, wherein said stator means comprises statormembers positioned between adjacent wheels.